Director of Horticulture Services

This vacancy is only open to current permanent Parks employees serving in the Administrative Horticulturist civil service title, on leave from the title, in or on leave from a comparable title (e.g., Administrative Park & Recreation Manager or Administrative Community Relations Specialist), or who took and passed the Administrative Horticulturist Civil Service Examination (Exam No. 6005), or are reachable on a comparable civil service list.

About the Role

NYC Parks is the steward of nearly 30,000 acres of land—14 percent of New York City—including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. The Division of Environment and Planning aims to protect, restore, and expand New York City's green spaces and natural areas to maximize their benefits for environmental and community health and resilience. The Natural Resources Group within Environment and Planning supports all Divisions in the agency to create beautiful, high-performing vegetated spaces.

Responsibilities

• Develop, promulgate, and uphold standards and protocols for the care and preservation of horticultural areas citywide, including vision, goals, policies, standard operating procedures, and performance measurement systems.
• Oversee management of the staff and operations at Citywide Nursery in Van Cortlandt Park, which produces plants for agency horticulture projects.
• Develop processes for alignment between the Citywide Nursery, PECaN, borough horticulture, forestry, and capital projects, identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements, resource sharing, enhanced biodiversity, and strategic coordination.
• Convene a Horticulture Managers working group in collaboration with Maintenance & Operations to generate motivation, provide guidance, coordinate activities, develop policies, and ensure standard application of best practices for ecologically-sound horticulture, pesticide use, and tracking.
• Research and share information on new materials, methods, and policies relating to plant care, including recommendations for appropriate plant palettes, integrated pest management, and horticulture technologies.
• Plan and coordinate field training, professional development classes, and recognition programs within the agency and in collaboration with other institutions.
• Perform horticulture tasks, including development of and consultation for special projects and emerging initiatives that advance agency-wide horticultural priorities, promote biodiversity and climate resilience, and enhance the quality and stewardship of planted landscapes.
• Provide regular updates on the status of various projects and programs and ensure timely advancement.
• Prepare briefings, reports, analyses, evaluations, and correspondence, working with NRG Communications staff as needed.
• Represent the agency at relevant committees, boards, and working groups.
• Liaise with other City and State agencies regarding pesticide rules, regulations, and reporting.

Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with major study in horticulture, arboriculture, or landscape architecture and four years of full-time, paid experience in horticultural work, of which two years must have been in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive capacity; or
• A satisfactory equivalent. However, all candidates must have at least a high school diploma or evidence of having passed an examination for a high school equivalency diploma and one year of supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive experience as described above.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program.

Pay

$100,000.00 – $110,000.00

Schedule

Work Location: The Grove, Rego Park, Queens

Residency in New York City, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, Putnam, or Westchester counties is required for employees with over two years of city service. New York City residency is required within 90 days of hiring for all other candidates.